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Longhorns & More at Doc’s Motorworks
Socially speaking, football season means stadiums that hold almost 100,000 fans, tailgate parties that occupy dozens of downtown blocks and game-watching gatherings in dens outfitted with TV screens that would make the IMAX makers envious. Also sports bars.
Terry Pogue, Debbie Hildebrand
Doc’s Motorworks — the original on South Congress Avenue — is not a sports bar, technically, and its site, open to the western sun, argues against prime television viewing. Yet early on, sports fans flocked to this authentic-feeling road-house/bar/diner, ingeniously carved out of an automotive repair shop.
Greg Highberger, Brenda Highberger, Jessica Gilliland, A.J. Crockett
Prior to Saturday’s game, we considered joining the record-breaking crowd at Royal-Memorial, but, with my heart condition, 100-degree heat index at the top of the western tier is not a good way to spend an August late afternoon, not to mention the sweaty walk from whichever distant parking spot.
So, instead I toddled down to Doc’s and immediately met some fascinating folks. “We’re Longhorns for the day,” said quality control inspector Greg Highberger and court reporter Brenda Highberger, who’d normally root for the University of Kansas or Kansas State University, being from the Sunflower State and all. “The selection of sports bars in Wellsville, Kan. is limited,” added Brenda about her burg outside Kansas City.
Ted Rodriguez, Shana Rodriguez
“We’d watch it at home if it weren’t on pay-per-view,” said U.S. Army reservist A.J. Crockett, who shared with purchasing administrator Jessica Gilliland an appreciation for the vocal energy at sports bars. “Here, it’s in between going to the game and watching it at home,” A.J. said.
“It’s fun to be in a crowd tailgating, but we live literally 10 steps away,” said Akins High School teacher Shana Rodriguez. “And it’s hard to get tickets,” said Akins football coach Ted Rodriguez, who was also celebrating his team’s first win of the season.
Amy T. (traveling incognito), Patrick Dunphy
Patrick Dunphy, who works in the mortgage business, doesn’t like the noise and crowd inside Doc’s, so he gravitates to the unofficial employee table outside. “It’s a nice environment,” he says. “And some good-looking people come here as well.” (Soon, Dunphy was surrounded by four or five toothsome employees.)
The flip-flopped and summer-whited fans were still trickling in at 6:30 p.m., long after the 6 p.m. kickoff, catching up on the game narrative with strangers. Austin Fire Department Lieutenant Terry Pogue and his companion, Debbie Hildebrand from Killeen, had visited the Continental Club to savor the guitar genius of Redd Volkaert before the game. Pogue knew Doc’s would be jumping, “especially when Texas is winning.”
Actually, the crowd was pretty subdued, almost distracted until the Longhorns made an interception in the end zone. After that, every spectacular play by Colt McCoy and crew jolted the viewers into communal joy. So a bit like being at the game. But with beer.
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By tommy collins
September 2, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this
I recently had a friend in from Dallas and we visited a few places around Austin similar to Doc's. The thing that stood out to him was how the people around Austin are much warmer and receptive to strangers than the people in Dallas. Being from Highland Park myself, I have to agree that the thing that makes these places great are the people that frequent them.
By Ian Gillespie
September 1, 2008 11:18 PM | Link to this
I enjoyed the post. I have been going to UT games ever since I was five and the atmosphere outside of the stadium is just as lively as the atmosphere inside of it. I will have to say that I was disappointed that the game was shown on pay per view for a couple hundred dollars.
By Claire Cella
September 1, 2008 6:12 PM | Link to this
I love your perspective on this post. I know watching a live UT football game is better than staring at it on a television screen but you give UT fans and visitors alike another viable option if they can't get to the game in person. Doc's, and other sports bars in Austin, give people an equally thrilling evening as you point out and allow them to experience Austin and UT football in a different way.